L4740 HSTC Maybe not for me

[Mike_VT]

So I have owned several tractors over the years all gear driven. The latests were a Massey with shuttle shift 16 x 16 and a Kubota L4330 Gst. I do a lot of snow removal so this year I decided to step up and buy a cab model.

To my dismay they dealer told me no Gst in the cab version. So with great hesitation and thinking I would get used to the HST is went ahead and purchased the l4740 HSTC. I also went this route because I had a woods Bh9000 that I could get a new subframe for the 4740 and not have to buy a new hoe. If Woods had a subframe for the Massey 1652 I would have went with the Dyna QPS cab version, but not wanting to buy a new hoe for about 9k I bit the bullet on the 4740.

Anyway I can't seem to get over having to run the l4740 at high rpms just to get the HST to function properly, having to always hold the hydro pedal down in either direction.....which seems super awkward to me and finally I find the machine to be very noisy. I loved my L4330 GST and although the L4740 HSTC is a beautiful machine I am not sure I can get to love the HST tranny.

Anyone ever experience this, did you get used to the HST any tips or advice? I am going to use the tractor through the winter, but come spring I may have a relatively new tractor for sale, now that would be a shame probably will have not even hit 50 hrs. Anyone in Vt interested.

Mike

 

[bucktaker]

Do you by chance have the auto throttle on ???? what are you calling high rpms I find 1500-2000 workd good except for pto operation

 

[Mike_VT]

No, I actually find the advanced throttle to be pretty useless. I would say I am running at about 2k for rpms, have tried lower but performance suffers. Thanks.

 

[Grateful11]

Because my left leg is in such bad shape HST was the only way my wife was going to go when we were looking at new small tractor. Took me some time but now it's like it was made just for me. For loader work I don't think it can be beat, we can load a 155 bushel spreader in under 5 minutes. Give it some more time I think it'll grow on you.

Are you setting the the throttle and using the pedal for motion or are you using the Auto-Throttle feature or a combination of both?

 

[Grateful11]

Do you by chance have the auto throttle on ???? what are you calling high rpms I find 1500-2000 workd good except for pto operation

If you're wanting 540 rpm's at the PTO you're probably going to need to be in the 2400-2600 rpm range.

 

[Grateful11]

No, I actually find the advanced throttle to be pretty useless. I would say I am running at about 2k for rpms, have tried lower but performance suffers. Thanks.

When doing loader work around here they usually set the throttle at about 1800 and leave it on Auto-Throttle and if you need more speed or rpm's you can just step on the pedal and and it rev beyond 1800 when you need it. What gear range are running in? Are you using the loader bucket for snow removal or something else?

 

[Mike_VT]

Ya, I have a bad right knee, I don't think that helps. I am using a front plow. I'll give he auto throttle at 1800 rpms a try, that might help. Most of the time I am running in medium and toggle between high and low. With then gear drive I could use the gas pedal for rpm adjustment and put the machine in neutral to do lifting with the loader. I would say I was very efficient with the Gst and I seem I have lost productivity and I am burning a heck of a lot more fuel.
Thanks for the tips

 

[crazyal]

You need to learn how to use HST. It sounds simple but it takes some getting use to. With GST you just push harder on the pedal when you need more power, it's the opposite with HST. For the first month I didn't realize I was even doing it and what happens is the hydro's bypass kicks in and it's noisy and feels like it's lacking in power.

I usually run at about 1500 rpm if I'm just driving around or doing loader work. I rarely have a problem with power or feel like I need to rev the motor up. Also you can adjust the auto throttle cable (it's easy to do) so it doesn't rev the motor up with just the slightest touch on the HST pedal. Also if you are traveling any distance you can use the cruse control lever. It's variable like the HST pedal, so don't just push it all the way forward.

Now that I'm closing in on 100 hours I find using the HST is now second nature. It was awkward at first though. Since you have it try to experiment a little and find what works for you. Some like to use their heal to go in reverse, I move my foot and use my toes for each direction (that too took a little learning by looking at the pedal but now it's natural). Like I said try to get use to not pushing harder on the pedal when you want more power (I still occasionally do it).

 

[Depmandog]

Mike_VT

I have a L5030 GST, and I specifically searched for a GST model because I didn't think I would like the HST.

I would be interested to see how you adjust over the next few months. Please post back with an update.

Good luck.

 

[Mike_VT]

I use my toe for both forward and reverse and gotten the feel preety good and certainly am going to give it time.

I just think there was more gear flexibility. I'd hate to walk on such a nice piece of equipment, I would certainly lose a few $$$. Thanks for the tips

 

[equipman]

Is this your first cab tractor? That may explain why you think it is louder than previous tractors.

 

[Grateful11]

So you're actually not placing your whole foot on the pedal and not doing the toe and heel thing for forward and reverse. I might be wrong but I think you'll learn to like it but with a bad right knee that's going to complicate things but I think all Hydros have their pedals on the right.

My son has more experience on the now gone IH 140 than any of the other tractors but he took to the Kubota like a baby to candy. I think younger people take to this new stuff better than us older folk, they're used to all those crazy controls on video games ;-)

 

[TripleR]

I run HST and Hydraulic Shuttle Shift with no experience on the GST, I use the heel and toe method and really like the HST and mine is not even the HST+. I've run HST for years and gotten use to the higher engine speeds.

I guess some people like them and some don't.

 

[lawn_king]

After many years of international gear tractors, i made the jump to kubota hydros. That was 12 years ago, after a learning curve of a couple months, i have never looked back! I love the hst+ tranny!!!!!!!!

 

[kuboman]

Don't forget that you have cruise for relieving the foot. I use the cruise quite often because holding the peddle does become tedious. If you don't need the advantage of the hydro then I can see a gear tractor might be desirable but, make sure you know all the features of your tractor first.

 

[Grateful11]

Don't forget that you have cruise for relieving the foot. I use the cruise quite often because holding the peddle does become tedious. If you don't need the advantage of the hydro then I can see a gear tractor might be desirable but, make sure you know all the features of your tractor first.

What I like about the cruise it's like a GT that has the Hydro controls on the fender, you speed it up and slow it down at will with the cruise. The first time we tried to use we thought you set the speed with your foot and then locked into place with the cruise lever, wrong, you do that and it shoves into high speed maxing out according to where you have the throttle set. Wife used the L3940 with the old JD FBB Grain drill in Fall of '10 but has since bought a bigger drill that requires hydraulics and pulls it with the IH 686. She said she the Kubota in Mid range, Hi on the column paddle and run the engine at about 2000 rpms, I think she said that gave about 5mph ground speed.

 

[Samandothers]

It took me a while to get use to the HST. I wanted to use the pedal as a gas pedal. I usually only use the pedal but if going some distance I have used the cruise control which relieves having to hold down the pedal all the time.

Good luck! I really enjoy the HST now.